1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an emergency reporting network system for vehicles such as automotive vehicles. This invention also relates to a terminal apparatus used in an emergency reporting network system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known emergency communication apparatus for a vehicle is automatically started when the vehicle causes an accident. The known apparatus can also be started when a trigger button is depressed by vehicle""s driver (a user). After the start, the known apparatus calls an emergency report receiving center by radio and hence tries to connect with the center. When the radio connection with the center has been established, the known apparatus implements emergency data communication (or emergency speech communication) with the center. According to the known apparatus, the user is not informed of whether the emergency data communication is being successfully implemented. Thus, the user tends to feel uneasy about operation of the known apparatus immediately after the occurrence of the accident.
Japanese published unexamined patent application 5-20578 discloses a present position emergency informing device mounted on an automobile. The emergency informing device in Japanese application 5-20578 includes a crash sensor, a position detector, and an automobile telephone. When the automobile causes a crash, the crash sensor detects a related impact force. At the same time as the moment of detection of the impact force, the position detector is operated. Subsequently, an emergency section such as police is automatically contacted through the automobile telephone. Then, the accident and the position where the accident occurs are automatically notified to the emergency section.
Japanese published unexamined patent application 5-5626 discloses a navigation system which is designed so that data of emergency numbers fed from a CD-ROM, and its own position data of a vehicle estimated by means of a location device are stored in a FIFO memory. In addition, voices produced in the vehicle are stored in a voice storing device, and personal information about the driver of the vehicle and his fellow passengers is stored in an ID card device. In the navigation system of Japanese application 5-5626, the occurrence of an accident is detected by comparing a change in the signal of an acceleration sensor with a predetermined change in accident-caused impact acceleration. Upon detection of the occurrence of an accident, the information is outputted from the FIFO memory, the voice storing device, and the ID card device externally via a communication unit.
It is a first object of this invention to provide an improved emergency reporting network system.
It is a second object of this invention to provide an improved terminal apparatus in an emergency reporting network system.
A first aspect of this invention provides an emergency reporting apparatus for a vehicle. The emergency reporting apparatus comprises a communication device; first means for, in cases where an emergency occurs in the vehicle, using the communication device to report the emergency to an emergency report receiving center; and second means for informing a user of an operating condition of the communication device when the communication device is used by the first means.
A second aspect of this invention is based on the first aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus wherein the communication device includes a radio communication device.
A third aspect of this invention is based on the first aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus wherein the operating condition of the communication device includes at least one of a standby state, a calling state, a data communication state, a communication ending state, a retry calling state, a normal communication state, an abnormal communication state, and an out-of-service-area communication-impossible state.
A fourth aspect of this invention is based on the first aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus wherein the second means comprises at least one of 1) means for generating a sound, 2) means for generating a voice, 3) means for providing visual indication, and 4) means for generating light.
A fifth aspect of this invention provides an emergency reporting apparatus for a vehicle. The emergency reporting apparatus comprises a trigger button operable by a user in cases where the vehicle causes an accident; first means for detecting a collision of the vehicle against another object; second means for detecting that the vehicle causes an accident in response to at least one of operation of the trigger button and operation of the first means; third means for updatably detecting a position of the vehicle; a memory; fourth means for storing information of the vehicle position detected by the third means into the memory; a communication device; fifth means for, when the second means detects that the vehicle causes an accident, using the communication device to call an emergency report receiving center and establish connection with the emergency report receiving center; sixth means for, when the connection with the emergency report receiving center has been established by the fifth means, transmitting the information of the vehicle position from the memory to the emergency report receiving center via the communication device; an informing device; and seventh means for, when the connection with the emergency report receiving center has been established by the fifth means, using the informing device to notify the user of an operating condition of the communication device.
A sixth aspect of this invention provides an emergency reporting apparatus for a vehicle. The emergency reporting apparatus comprises a trigger button operable by a user in cases where an emergency occurs; first means for reporting an emergency to an emergency report receiving center in response to operation of the trigger button; and second means for informing a user on at least one of a visual basis and an audio basis that the first means is reporting an emergency.
A seventh aspect of this invention is based on the sixth aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus wherein the second means comprises a visual indicator.
An eighth aspect of this invention is based on the sixth aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus wherein the second means comprises means for generating a beep.
A ninth aspect of this invention is based on the sixth aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus wherein the second means comprises means for generating a synthesized voice.
A tenth aspect of this invention is based on the sixth aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus further comprising a loudspeaker provided in the second means, and third means for using the loudspeaker to execute speech communication while the first means is reporting an emergency.
An eleventh aspect of this invention is based on the sixth aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus further comprising a loudspeaker in an audio apparatus. The second means includes the loudspeaker.
A twelfth aspect of this invention provides an emergency reporting network system comprising emergency report receiving center; a communication network; and emergency reporting apparatuses connectable with the emergency report receiving center via the communication network. Each of the emergency reporting apparatuses comprises the emergency reporting apparatus of one of the sixth to eleventh aspects of this invention.